Bills 2024 Bold Predictions: Can Josh Allen Finally Win MVP?
Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen has been an NFL MVP finalist three of the past four seasons, but has been unable to secure the hardware.
In an annual post Super Bowl tradition, Sports Illustrated issued bold predictions for all 32 NFL teams looking forward to the 2024 season and the Bills' outlook featured Allen finally winning the league's top on-field individual honor. Senior writer Conor Orr proceeded to caution that only five of 32 predictions came true in 2023.
Allen, who will turn 28 in May, made a seriously strong case for the 2023 NFL MVP Award, which wound up going to Baltimore Ravens' field general Lamar Jackson.
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While leading the Bills to their fourth straight AFC East division title, Allen became the first player in NFL history to produce at least 40 total touchdowns in four consecutive seasons. The Allen-led Bills posted a 5-1 regular season record against the 2023 NFL Playoff field.
In his sixth pro season, Allen led the entire league in total yards and total touchdowns (44). The dual threat set an NFL record for recording both rushing and passing touchdowns in 11 of 17 games. His 15 rushing touchdowns were one behind Hall-of-Fame running back O.J. Simpson's single-season franchise record. Orr suggests that the running ability makes Allen an MVP favorite.
For the season, Allen directly had a hand in 81.5 percent of Buffalo's touchdown plays. He engineered go-ahead fourth-quarter scoring drives in seven different games.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, there's a realistic chance that Allen becomes the Bills' first MVP recipient since Hall-of-Fame running back Thurman Thomas in 1991. The outlet currently lists Allen (+700) as the second favorite to win the 2024 NFL MVP Award. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes (+600) is the only player with shorter odds.
SI Writes:
"Josh Allen will win MVP. ... How good the Bills will be is a mystery to me. But, I think Allen has the makeup of an MVP candidate based on the likelihood that he’ll have to do a lot of heavy lifting. We saw the Bills offense “take off”—quotation usage intentional—after the restrictions (imposed or inferred) on Allen’s mobility were lifted. All of Allen’s highest rushing attempt games took place after the team fired Ken Dorsey and seemed to encourage Allen to put himself in harm’s way more frequently. If Allen can stay healthy while playing this combative style of football, he’ll be able to stay ahead of his closest competitors."
